Amazing Abe - by Norman H Finkelstein (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A tribute to Abraham Cahan, founder of a prominent Yiddish language newspaper whose discussion of everything from voting rights to baseball offered crucial guidance to Jewish immigrants"--

Book Synopsis

A Sydney Taylor Honor Book

A loving tribute to a towering figure in Jewish American history from two award-winning creators.

Two-time National Jewish Book Award winner Norman H. Finkelstein and Sydney Taylor Award winner Vesper Stamper have teamed up to tell the story of Abraham Cahan, the founder and longtime editor of the Yiddish language newspaper the Forverts (the Forward), which, in its heyday, was one of the largest newspapers in the United States. As the saying went: "What's a home without the Forverts?"

From explaining voting rights to the importance of public health measures to everyday questions like how to play baseball, Cahan improved the lives of countless newly arrived Jewish immigrants who wanted to feel at home in a new, strange land. He also published celebrated writers such as Isaac Bashevis Singer and created the iconic advice column the Bintel Brief for homesick readers.

Back matter includes a bibliography, a time line, more info on Cahan's life and the Yiddish language, and a note on the author's personal connection to the Forverts.

Review Quotes

★ "A commendable addition to library collections focused on immigration, little-known historical figures, and the pivotal role of language and the written word in shaping the immigrant experience."--School Library Journal, Starred Review

"Historical details abound."--Booklist

"The book's depiction of Cahan's work on the paper emphasizes his understanding of and advocacy for the needs of other Jews, immigrants, and workers."--The Horn Book

"This well-written, stimulating picture-book biography brings much-deserved attention to an important person who highlighted and respected the lives not only of Jewish immigrants but of all immigrants, as well as workers and the poor. "--Kirkus Reviews

"[An] optimistic picture book biography."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Norman H. Finkelstein was a retired school librarian and a celebrated children's book author. A two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award as well as a winner of the Golden Kite Honor Award, Norman wrote many nonfiction books for young readers, including Schools of Hope, Union Made, Heeding the Call, and Forged in Freedom. He taught at Hebrew College and lived in Massachusetts.

Vesper Stamper is an award-winning author-illustrator of YA historical fiction and picture books. Her debut novel, What the Night Sings, was a Sydney Taylor Book Award winner, a National Book Award nominee, and a National Jewish Book Award finalist. Raised in New York City, Vesper's dreams of one day illustrating the Lower East Side at the turn of the century were fulfilled when she was asked to illustrate Amazing Abe. She teaches illustration at School of Visual Arts and lives with her family in the Northeast. You can find her at vesperillustration.com.